In devices comprising nonvolatile memories, such as EPROMs, EEPROMs and flash-EEPROMs, the content of the memory must be protected in the event supply V.sub.CC is inadvertently cut off in the presence of programming voltage V.sub.PP, or in the event voltage V.sub.PP is applied before supply voltage V.sub.CC when the device is turned on.
For this purpose, protection circuits are provided comprising comparators, which compare supply voltage V.sub.CC with a reference voltage and, if the supply voltage is lower than the reference voltage, disable supply of voltage V.sub.PP to prevent damaging the memory or altering the stored data.
A drawback of known circuits of the aforementioned type is the high static consumption of the comparators employed.